Cliques in my uni exist only amongst international students. Generally, all the Chinese students stick together, and just don't TALK to anyone else. And eastern-europeans tend to stick together, but are a bit more friendly to you than Chinese people.

In my subject, I tend to find quite a bit of cliqueness (spelling?) Well, it's more the 'types' of people on my course. For example, people who study languages are very diverse - but all the 'cool kids' study French, and all the 'unconventionals' study German. Obviously there are plenty of normal, nice and friendly people (like me ) who study either or both...but a lot of people who study French are the 'popular' ones, who think they're really amazing, but actually anyone that isn't a fellow 'popular' finds them really quite annoying, because they tend to be very stuck-up and exclusive. Whereas people that study German are just unusual, but they're all lovely.

ETA: Southampton really doesn't have a 'rah' contingent. Although, there are loads of people who wear Jack Wills, A+F etc., who I suppose could be called rah...but outside their fashion sense, they mainly seem down-to-earth...

in my year at my oxford college youve got your subject cliques, lawyers tend to stick together, as do PPEists. theres a quiet nerdy clique, an artsy english clique an UBER-posh clique (that isnt actually that uber-posh, the etonians knock about with the footballers and the artsy english clique). thers semi-cliques that compromise members of other cliques such as the footballers, the rugby guys, the rowers (bloody scary are the rowers).

so yea the crews and cliques all have there place, and if not you could be a hermit and stay in your room/library all day!!

(Original post by Artekus)
"Coloured" is a relic of the colonial era, when we (the British) tried to classify our colonial subjects by "how black" they were, which is where other terms like Negro or half-caste come from. Pretty distasteful politics, which makes these terms less popular nowadays by association.

The term "coloured" is also specifically offensive because it is euphemistic. Somebody's colour is not something to be embarrassed about or to be skirted around in 'polite conversation', so just call them black

People read too much into this sort of thing. It's just a word, and still a widely used one; what's the problem? It's not as blatantly offensive as 'Nigg*r'; in fact most people see it as the correct way to refer to negroes. Jesus, people need to get a life.

Basically the Indian people that appear more naturalized are probably born in the UK (i.e. they are British) or immigrated to Al-UK when they were very young....

...and the more traditional ones (who may be more studious) are foreign students who have only just arrived here for their degrees - they're likely to be more studious since they are investing much more of their own money in the degree than a home student may be doing.

(Original post by Artekus)
"Coloured" is a relic of the colonial era, when we (the British) tried to classify our colonial subjects by "how black" they were, which is where other terms like Negro or half-caste come from. Pretty distasteful politics, which makes these terms less popular nowadays by association.

The term "coloured" is also specifically offensive because it is euphemistic. Somebody's colour is not something to be embarrassed about or to be skirted around in 'polite conversation', so just call them black

(Original post by LiveFastDieYoung)
in my year at my oxford college youve got your subject cliques, lawyers tend to stick together, as do PPEists. theres a quiet nerdy clique, an artsy english clique an UBER-posh clique (that isnt actually that uber-posh, the etonians knock about with the footballers and the artsy english clique). thers semi-cliques that compromise members of other cliques such as the footballers, the rugby guys, the rowers (bloody scary are the rowers).

so yea the crews and cliques all have there place, and if not you could be a hermit and stay in your room/library all day!!

(Original post by juicyfruit)
I totally agree, not all are black. I thought using 'coloured' was more general and polite

Saying "coloured" makes much more of an issue out of somebody's race by trying to accurately encompass all shades of skin colour. Since obviously no-one is truly "black" or "white", using these terms does the opposite and relegates someone's race to non-issue status from the get-go, which I think is as it should be. That's why I say black

(Original post by Thorn89)
It depends on the type of uni you go to I think. I'm at Nottingham which is a complete campus uni, so cliques are more obvious. But at city unis, for example, it would be harder for these to manifest.

(Original post by La Esmerelda)
Just out of interest what is the clique-iness like at your Uni?

There are cliques but its not negative or aggressive. So while people would be in groups, there are definite overlaps, and you feel very comfortable being friends with anyone. While I may have my group of friends, I'll also be friends with other random people lol.

While there are cliques, its not bad at all, or like it was at school. I really like it.

(Original post by nexttime)
The chinese/singapore etc clique who quite often literally don't speak to ANY other people and don't even use english in day to day life.

Some elements of subject cliqueiness, but kind of unavoidable.

No others really.

Not aimed at you specifically and I am not saying you are, but I think that's quite unfair to generalise that just because a group of Chinese people hang around together, they aren't willing to talk to other people.

Just because I see a group of white or brown people, I don't automatically assume they want to exclude people based on ethnicity. Are you sure they're not talking to you because they don't actually know you!? I see groups of white people who don't talk me.. that's because I don't know them, lol.

(Original post by xps.systems)
would you prefer the term 'pigmentally saturated' as opposed to 'coloured' - the latter sounds a bit bland and makes it out like somebody just did you up with wax crayons or something.